Mercy Hospital
(Photo courtesy HCA Florida Mercy Hospital)
Mercy Hospital has become the first hospital in Florida to perform Magnetic Surgery using the MARS platform from Levita Magnetics, a Silicon Valley medical technology company advancing minimally invasive surgery.
The Florida debut marks a partnership between Levita Magnetics and Mercy Hospital, part of HCA, the nation’s largest healthcare system.
Through this collaboration, Mercy is the first hospital in Florida to offer MARS, expanding access to less invasive surgical procedures.
Built on Levita’s proprietary Dynamic Magnetic Positioning technology, the MARS platform uses magnetic control to guide surgical instruments from outside the body, reducing the number of traditional incisions a procedure requires.
A defining feature is active retraction through magnetic control, which retracts tissue magnetically rather than through a separate incision, paired with stable, surgeon-controlled visualization. The reduced-port approach is associated with fewer incisions and less scarring, and, in bariatric procedures, with less postoperative pain and a faster recovery.
The FDA-cleared platform builds on more than 2,500 surgeries performed with Levita’s magnetic surgery systems, reflecting a growing body of clinical use and increased momentum around MARS as more hospitals adopt magnetic-assisted robotic surgery. The milestone arrives in a moment of growing interest in less invasive solutions for weight management.
“The MARS system was quick to adopt and integrates smoothly into how our team functions, providing stable, consistent visualization.
Throughout the procedure, the camera and retraction are surgeon-controlled, which eliminates the need for an additional assistant at the table, minimizing distraction and maintaining optimal efficiency in the operating room,” said Dr. Nestor De La Cruz, a world-renowned bariatric surgeon who performed the procedures at Mercy Hospital.
Bariatric procedures like those performed with Levita’s innovative MARS technology are drawing renewed interest as patients weigh durable alternatives for weight management. While pharmaceutical treatments such as GLP-1 medications have drawn significant attention, research indicates that many patients regain weight after discontinuing treatment.
For those seeking a durable, less invasive alternative, bariatric surgery remains a long-term option, and the MARS platform supports these procedures with a less invasive approach.
“Bringing MARS to Florida is a meaningful step in our mission to make surgery less invasive and more human-centered,” said Dr. Alberto Rodríguez-Navarro, MD, surgeon and co-founder of Levita Magnetics. “Every expansion is ultimately about the patient. By reducing the footprint of surgery on the body, we help surgeons deliver care that gets people back to their lives sooner, and we are proud to bring that to more patients across Florida through our new partnership with HCA Florida Healthcare.”
Levita Magnetics was co-founded by Dr. Rodríguez-Navarro, MD, FACS, a minimally invasive surgeon and inventor of Dynamic Magnetic Positioning, and visionary businessman and entrepreneur Nicolas Luksic. Together, they combined breakthrough clinical innovation with strategic business vision to develop the MARS platform, pioneering a new category of minimally invasive surgery.
Levita also has opened a new Miami location to complement their Silicon Valley headquarters. Miami was chosen for its vibrant and rapidly growing technology and entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Miami office will serve as a training and expansion hub for Levita as surgeon adoption accelerates across the East Coast and Latin America.
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